Protective goggle



1945- H. L. JOHNSTON PROTECTIVE GOGGLE F'ild Sept. 27, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HARRY LEIGH Jo/m/srom W PM ATTOR N EYS.

Jan. 30, 1945.

H. L. JOHNSTON PROTECTIVE GOGGLE Filed Sept. 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ATTO RN EYS.

Patented Jul. so, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE zseaso: rno'moriva.aooom: 7 Harry Leigh Johnston, Ames, Iowa 7 Application September 27;1940, Serial No. 358,63 1001mm. '(Cl. 2--14) This invention relates toanew and improved goggle suitable for wear in athletics or other formsofstrenuous, personal activity, in which there is danger of losing orbreaking the'conventional type of eye-glasses or of injuring the weareror other persons with whom the wearer may make violent contact.

It is an object of this invention to provide a goggle adapted to giveprotection to the wearers eyes and, if desired, to position correctiveor other optical lenses before'them. 'It is a further object to provideadequate protection to eyes of those engaging in personal contactathletics with a minimum of interference with peripheral vision andwithout any greater degree of fogging than is experienced in ordinaryeyelasses.

In the past, numerous guards for the protection of the face and eyeshave been devised. None of these has proved wholly satisfactory for thepurposes for which my goggle is intended. None N has, so far as I amaware, made use of the position and function of the eyebrow ridge as thenatural protectiveagency of the eye. It is an object, therefore, of thisinvention to provide an eye protective devicewhich supplements properlythe protective function of the eyebrow ridge and bears thereon ratherthan on the cheeks or lower nose, which are not well constituted to takeshock.

The term goggle" as used herein is intended to include alleye-encircling devices, regardless of whether they are fitted withlenses.

Figure I'of the accompanying drawing shows a perspective view of oneembodiment of my invention using an integral head-encircling member andprovided with optical lenses. Figure II is a cross-sectional view ofFigure'I, taken on the plane X--X. Figure III shows my integral frontalhead-band with the nose piece attached. Figure IV is a profile andFigure V1 is a perspective view of another embodiment designed for thesimple protection of the upperpartof the face or of eye-glasses, inwhich the head-encircling member is a football-helmet and in which nolenses are used. Figure V shows the detail of the side piece of thegoggle shown iii-Figures 1V and VI.

In Figure I, the frontal band A, formed of leather or some othermaterial sufliciently flexible to follow the contours of the head butsufficiently stiff to resist lateral displacement, cooperates with theelastic band B to form the headencircling member. The frontal band Aprojects downwardly in back of the cars at C to increase stability. Inaddition to preventing per piration from running into the eyes, or ontothe. lenses, the band A holds in correctposition the-frame D andcushions to the eyebrow ridge any :blow which the frame D may receive.

The frame I) is constructed of somerigid but resilient material capableof withstanding shock and resistant to permanent deformation i]: havefound steel, brassand bronze very satisfactory.

This frame may be molded, stamped orbuilt up making the base H-H' of thetriangularsidepiece F as long as possibie,giving a maximum #25 interioropening andalso by curving the member I-IG downward. The detachablefastening at -G allows the necessary angular -adius'tment to position.the plane of the corrective lensm properly before the eyes, and allowsthe-necessary anterior-posterior adjustment to allow for variations inthe cimumference of diflerent foreheads.

The eye-encircling members of the. frame are interior-1y grooved at I toreceive optical lenses J. The lenses may be maintained in position byany of the conventional methods, such as simple friction or a clampingdevice.

Although it is not necessary to the proper operation of my improvedgoggle, I have. foundlt advantageous to fit itwith a nose flap L, formedofsome soft material suchasshoe-upper leather, positioned over thebridge of the nose. This flap may be attached eithertothe-headband or tothe frame of the goggle but should be secured only at its upper end, ate. point above where it bears on the nose, so that it will automaticallyadjust itself to any size or shape of nose. This flap lies on the noseand extends far enough on each side of its center to pass between thenose and those parts-of the frame adjacent to the nose. It should beformed of amaterial having suiilcient stiffness to hold its position onthe nose, or should have a stiil'ening member such as the light flexiblewire M, canied around its perimeter to hold it in position on the nose.The

flap serves to protect the nose from injury when the wearer receives ablow on the side of the goggles and, in conjunction with the head-bandA, to stabilize the goggles.

Figure 11, which is a cross-section of Figure I in the plane X-X, showsthe components of the frame D: the pressed metal frame proper N, thestiffening rod which is folded into the frame and runs across the faceand back to the point 0 on each side (see Figure I), and the rubbercoating P on the frame.

Figure III shows a portion of the head-band A,

- and those parts of the to which is attached in operative position thenose flap L, with the peripheral stiffening member M. Instead of thenose flap above described I may use a nose member formed of some soft,flexible material fastened to the frame at points adjacent to each sideof the nose and passing over the nose.

In Figure IV and VI, the head-encircling member is a football helmet Qto which the frame R is frontally attached at S and S, which points maybe varied on the helmet to give correct vertical adjustment. Thetriangular side-pieces T are based, either rigidly or on hinges, at U-Uand the apex is adjustably secured to the helmet at V. Points ofattachment to the helmet are held by thongs Y.

Figure V shows projections V and Z which enter holes in the footballhelmet so positioned as to give properadjustment to the goggles.

This goggle is particularly adapted to very rough athletic contests,such as football, to proof flexible material,

assasos of the frame with respect to the member, and a nose piece offlexible material, passing over the nose and attached at each end to therespective portions of the frame adjacent the nose.

2. In combination with a goggle, a nose flap of a flexible materialsecured to the goggle only at a point above the point at which itcontacts the wearer's nose, the portion of the flap which engages thewearer's nose being free and unattached. said flap being so positionedthat it passes over the wearer's nose and lies between the nose goggleadjacent the nose. 3. In combination with a goggle, a nose flapperimetrically stiffened on its lower and side edges by means of aflexible "wire, which flap is secured only at a point above tect theeyes and eye regions from injury and to prevent breakage or displacementof goggles of the type shown in Figure 1 Or some other type. It is anadvantage of this typeof my improved goggle that it does not interferewith the peripheral vision of the wearer to any greater extent than acorrective eye-glass worn underneath necessarily would.

The head-encircling member may be used exclusively to support thegoggles, as shown in Figure I, or it may be some regular part of thewearer's attire, as shown in Figures IV and VI.

Either of these forms may be equipped with cor-,

rective or non-corrective optical lenses, or left open, according tovthe desire and requirements of the wearer. In the interests of safetythe frames and side-pieces may be coated with rubber or the like toinsure against injury to the wearer or to those coming in contact withhim. These many other adaptations and substitutions may be made withinthe scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. A goggle comprising ahead-encircling member, a substantially rigidframe positioning optical lenses before the eyes and secured above theeyes directly to the said head-encircling member, whereby force appliedto said frame is imparted to said member said frame being adapted to beselectively secured to different portions of the head-encircling memberabove the eyes of the wearer whereby the positionof the lenses withrespect to the member may be adjusted, substantially rigid side piecesin the approximate form of triangles whose bases are joined to the upperand lower outside edges respectively of the said frame and whose apexesare fast ned to the said head-encircling member on either side' of thehead at portions of said member above the eyes, said pieces beingadapted to be selectively secured to different portions of the sides ofthe member to provide adjustment for the position the point at which itcontacts the wearer's nose.

so positioned that it passes over the wearer's nose and lies between thenose and those parts of the goggle adjacent the nose.

4. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigidframe substantially encircling each eye and secured above the eyesdirectly to the said head encircling member substantially rigid sidepieces in the approximate form of triangles whose bases are joined tothe outside edges respectively of the said frame and whose apex es arefastened to the said head-encircling member on either side of the headat portions of said member above the eyes, and I. nose flap of flexiblematerial secured only at a point above the point at which it contactsthe wearers nose and disposed between the portions of the frame whichencircle the eyes, said flap being so positioned that it passes over thewearers nose and lies between the ncse and those parts of the goggleadjacent the nose.

5. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigideye-protecting frame supported only by direct attachment to the saidhead-encircling member at portions thereof above the eyes whereby forceapplied to said frame is imparted to said member, and side-pieces joinedatone end to the outside edges respectively of the said frame andfastened at the other end to the said head-encircling member.

6. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigidframe substantially encircling each eye and supported only by directattachment to the said head-encircling member at portions thereof abovethe eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member,substantially rigid side pieces in the approximate form of triangleswhose bases are joined to the outside edges respectively of thesaidframe and whose apexes are adjustably fastened to the saidhead-encircling member on either side of the wearer's head.

7. A goggle comprising a head-encircling band, a substantially rigidframe positioning optical lenses before the eyes and supported only bydirect attachment to the said head-encircling member at portions thereofabove the eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to saidmember, substantially rigid side pieces in the approximate form oftriangles whose bases are joined to the upper and lower outer edgesrespectively of the said frame and whose apexes are fastened to the saidhead-encircling member on either side of the head.

8. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, and a substantiallyrigid eye-protecting frame substantially encircling each eye anddirectly secured in rigid relation to said encircling member at aportion thereof above the eyes whereby force applied to Said name isimparted to said member at a portion thileof above the eyes.

9. A goggle comprising a headaenci'rcling member, a substantially rigideye-protecting frame encircling each eye and directly secured in rigidrelation to said encircling member at a portion thereof above the eyeswhereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member at aportionv thereof above the eyes, and a nose flap of flexible materialsecured to said frame only at a portion thereof above the portion of theflap which contacts the wearer's nose, the portion of the flap whichengages the wearers nose being free and unattached, .said flap being sopositioned that it passes over the wearers nose and lies between thenose and those parts of the goggle adjacent the nose.

10. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigideye-protecting frame substantially encircling each eye and directlysecured to said head-encircling member at a portion thereof above theeyes, and side pieces joined at one end to the outside edgesrespectively of said frame and fastened at the other end to saidhead-encircling member, said side pieces being out of horizontalalignment with the eyes of the wearer of the goggle whereby'said piecescreate no interference with peripheral vision of the wearer of thegoggle, said frame being supported in rigid relation with respect to aportion of the head-encircling member above the eyes whereby forceapplied to said frame is imparted to'said member at a portion thereofabove the eyes.

HARRY JOHNSTON.

